Sea-dirigible



D. CORSON, JR.

SEA DIRIGlBLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2(1, I920.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

3 SHEETS--SHEET I.

INVENTOR A Q ww w w, s

2a w'd Goran/ed ATTORN EY D. CORSON, JR.

SEA DIRIGlBLE.

APPLICATION man APR.26, 1920.

1 ,350,2 1 1 te Aug. 17, 1920.

3 SHEET S-SHEEI 2 M Q "F" INVENTOR M A 1 Q/ I ITNESSES ATTORNEY UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID COBSON, JR, MOUNT UNION, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEA-DIRIGIBLE.

v To all whom it may camera.-

Be it known that I, DAVID CoRsoN, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Union, in the county of Huntingdon and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sea'Dirigible, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air craft, particularly to those of thedirigible type, and has for its object the provision of a dirigiblewhich is so constructed that it may land upon and also travel-uponwater, in case of necessity, without danger.

An important object is the provisionof a device of this character formedas a dirigible provided at its ends with pontoons which extend laterallysomewhat beyond the body of the dirigible to brace the same when it isfloating so as to prevent it from being blown over, the body furthercarrying a boat-like structure disposed beneath its central portion andadapted to travel upon the water, this boat structure being formed toprovide a water chamber into which water may be admitted at the will ofthe operator whereby to provide ballast for holding the diriglble down,pumps being provided for forcing out the-water when desired. Anadditional object is the provision of a device of this character whichwill be simple in its operation, not complex in structure; eflicient inuse, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the other end,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe central portion ofthe device and showing the cabin and boat structure in section,

Fig. 5 is a'detail cross sectional view showing the means forcontrolling the inlet of water to the boat structure, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating one of the pumps for forcing outthe water.

Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designatesthe gas bag which is of any ordinary or preferred construction and whichis of substantially cigar or torpedo shapela nd provided withany suit-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

1920. Serial No. 376,782.

able or necessary longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs or stays11. At one end the bag 10 is preferably reinforced with an aluminumshield 12 serving to protect the end in case the bag should strike thewater nose first. The bag is of course provided with the usual rudder 13and elevation controls 14.

Disposed beneath the bag 10 and suspended therefrom by any suitablestructure, is the cabin 15 within which the operator and passengers areintended to remain and within which are disposed the various controls, I

' not shown, for operating the rudder and elevation control members. Itis of course evident that suitable propellers 16 are provided driven byany preferred or well known high power motors, not shown.

Disposed at the front and rear ends of the bag 10 and extendingtherebelow are brace members. 17 carrying pontoons 18 formed referablyas hollow aluminum shields.

hese pontoons and their supporting braces or frames are so arranged thatthey will extend laterally beyond the bag so that in case the devicelights upon the water the pon-- toons will not only serve to support thebag to a certain extent but also act as braces to prevent it from beingblown over.

Disposed beneath the cabin 15 and held rigidly associated with the bag10, as by means of brace bars 19, is a boat-like structure 20 formed asa tank of suitable size and any preferred shape and constructedpreferably of thin sheet metal. This boat structure is designed totravel upon the surface of the water in case the dirigible alights atsea, and is provided at its forward end with a wave shield 21. In orderto provide means whereby to weight the device to prevent undesiredrising from the surface of the water, I provide the bottom of the tank20 with an opening 21 surrounded by an inwardly extending flange 22 andthe opening is formed with a valve seat 23. Movable vertically withinthe tank 20 is a piston or valve 24 adapted to engage the seat 23 andthis valve is moved by means of a screw 25 carried .there'by and engagedby a rotatable hand wheel 26 mounted within the cabin 15 withinconvenient reach of the operator. The screw 25 is threaded through theworm-wheel and is provided with means whereby to prevent it from rotarymovement so that when the hand wheel 26 is turned in the properdirection the unseating the valve 24: and allowing water to flowin'through the opening 21. At one end of the tank 20 at the desiredmaximum water level therein is provided an overflow opening or hole 27which permits the exit of air as water is admitted through the opening21 and which also serves as a Water overflow to prevent the water fromrising be 0nd the maximum predetermined level. 11 order to provide meanswhereby the water within the tank 20 may be expelled when it is desiredto permit the device to rise, I provide one or more force pumps 28located within the tank, driven by anysuitable means, and dischargingthrough outlet pipe 29. I.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed dirigible whichmay safely alight upon the. water and travel thereon, if desired,especially as means is provided for properly ballasting and also forbracing the device against lateral strain caused by wind.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right tomake such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts aswill not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

and carrying hollow shells serving as pontoons, and a tank supportedbeneath the bag and adapted to serve asa boat structure. i 2. Incombination, a dirigible comprising in combination, a gas bag providedwith driving means, rigid frames extending downwardly at the endportions of the bag and carrying hollow shells serving as pontoons, atank supported beneath the bag-,- and adapted to serve as a boatstructure, and means permitting inlet of water. into the tank whereby toserve as ballast.

3. In combination, a dirigible comprising in combination, a gas bagprovided with driving means, rigid frames extending downwardly at theend portions of the bag and carrying hollow shells serving as pon- Itoons, a tank supported beneaththe bag and adapted to serve as a boatstructure, means permitting inlet of water into the tank whereby toserve as ballast, and means for expelling water from said tank.

In testimony whereof ll affix my signature.

DAVID CORSON, JR.

